I was doing some digging on cheaperthandirt.com after some reading I did today about the XM193 ammo from Lake City, which is made for Federal. I know that American Eagle is a subsidy of Federal, and they have their own 5.56 offering. The description states for both the Federal XM193 and American Eagle 5.56 that they are an XM193 variant made at the Lake City Plant, both are 30 rounds on stripper clips, but there is a price difference. If that's the case, what's the REAL difference between these rounds that would account for a price difference? Accuracy? How shiney the brass is? Just doesn't make sense.

That's actually a part of the equation TigerHawk. Which, thanks for the response so far.

It seems that the American Eagle ammunition has TWO distinct chamberings, one for the commercial version .223 REM (called AE223), and one of the military style and pressured 5.56mm round (AE5.56). My issue centers on, what is the difference between the American Eagle offering (AE5.56) and the XM193 under the Federal Premium name? From what I'm reading, these rounds are one in the same, but with a price difference for what is essentially the same bullet. Hopefully that clarifies it. The links are below so you can see which rounds I'm comparing.

I have both (XM193 and AE 5.56)in front of me and they are both head stamped LC 11 with the nato cross.I cant tell any differences by looking at them.If i mixed them up with my eyes closed i wouldn't be able to tell which was which.i think its just a packaging difference.Buy whichever is the cheapest